Alessandro Andreotti,^* Giovanni Leonardi,^** Maurizio Sarà,^*** Massimo Brunelli,^**** Lorenzo De Lisio,^***** Augusto De Sanctis,^****** Mauro Magrini,^******* Riccardo Nardi,^******** Paolo Perna,^********* Antonio Sigismondi<sup>**********


*</sup>Alessandro Andreotti is a researcher at the Italian Wildlife Institute (INFS). He is author of several national action plans for the conservation of threatened birds. Since 1997 he has been involved in the reintroduction program of the Purple Swamphen in Sicily. His address: Istituto Nazionale per la Fauna Selvatica (INFS) Via Ca' Fornacetta 9, 40064 Ozzano dell'Emilia (BO), Italy. alessandro.andreotti@infs.it
^**Giovanni Leonardi has, since 1990, performed research on behavioral ecology of raptors in Sicily. He defended his PhD thesis entitled “Limiting factors affecting Lanner falcon populations in Italy” at the Department of Evolutionary Biology at Siena University in 2007. He is author of the Birds of Western Palearctic account update for this species (2001) and coauthor of the “Italian Action Plan for the Lanner Falcon” (2007). His address: Osservatorio Natura srl-Via Gabriello Carnazza 27, 95129 Catania, Italy. areleo@yahoo.com
^***Maurizio Sarà is Associate Professor of Biogeography and Animal Ecology at the University of Palermo. His fields of research are on the status and distribution of Mediterranean vertebrates and conservation of declining species, like raptors. His address: Dipartimento Biologia Animale, Via Archirafi 18, 90123 Palermo, Italy. mausar@unipa.it
^****Massimo Brunelli is director of the Stazione Romana Osservazione e Protezione Uccelli (S.R.O.P.U.). He was local adviser for the Italian Action Plan for the Lanner Falcon. Since the 1980s he has studied status and conservation of birds in Lazio, especially raptors and waterfowl. He edited the first atlas of nesting birds in Lazio and is coordinator of the new bird monitoring scheme in the same region. His address: SROPU, Via Aldo Moro 83, 00065 Fiano Romano (RM), Italy. mss.brunelli@tin.it
^*****Lorenzo De Lisio is graduated in Natural Sciences. He has carried out a doctorate on bird communities. He is a consultant, advising private and public agencies, focusing on management and conservation of fauna, bird monitoring, and research on bird distribution and ecology. His address: Dip.STAT (Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie dell'Ambiente e del Territorio), Università degli Studi del Molise, C.da Fonte Lappone, 86090 Pesche (IS), Italy. delisio@unimol.it
^******Augusto De Sanctis is coordinator of seven WWF Protected Areas in the Abruzzo region, central Italy. His main research areas are: ecology of some species of the Appennine avifauna such as the Red-billed Chough, the Rock Partridge, and the Red-backed Shrike. He is also involved in bird ringing. For WWF Italy he coordinated different campaigns for the conservation of the high altitude areas. His address: WWF Abruzzo, C.P. 317, 65100 Pescara, Italy. a.desanctis@wwf.it
^*******Mauro Magrini is a Doctor in Natural Sciences, professional naturalist, specialist in birds of prey biology and ecology (Golden Eagle, Peregrine Falcon, Lanner). He is author of the Ornithological Atlas of Umbria (1997) based on 6 years' field research on breeding and wintering birds of the region. He is currently producing management plans for Sites of Community Interests and Special Protection Areas of Umbria, listed under the EC Birds and Habitats Directives. His address: Via del Seminario, 9-06049 Spoleto (PG), Italy. oikos_studio@libero.it
^********Riccardo Nardi was local adviser for the Italian Action Plan for the Lanner Falcon in Tuscany. He promoted and managed the Natural Reserve of “Bosco Rocconi” in Tuscany. His address: Riserva Naturale di Bosco Rocconi, 58053 Roccalbegna (GR), Italy. riccardonardi@interfree.it
^*********Paolo Perna graduated in Biological Sciences at the University of Camerino. He devotes himself mainly to fauna management and protected areas planning. In the ornithological field he has worked in particular on diurnal birds of prey (Lanner, Peregrine, and Golden Eagle) and the ecology of nesting communities in Mediterranean mountain areas. His address: Via Gemini 20–62010 Urbisaglia (MC), Italy. p.perna@studiohelix191.it
^**********Antonio Sigismondi is consultant for the Apulia Regional Park Office, photographer, and book author. His main studies include environmental and wildlife management, especially on raptors (Lanner Falcon, Lesser Kestrel and Egyptian Vulture). His address: Via Santa Teresa dei Maschi 19, 70122 Bari, Italy. sigismondi@tin.it